Letters -- Published Oct. 28, 2012

Early in October I attended a town hall forum (put on by the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association because I wanted to see candidates' debate important local issues.

Early in October I attended a town hall forum (put on by the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association because I wanted to see candidates' debate important local issues.

I listened to various candidates campaigning for different positions in the city and on school boards. If I were old enough to vote, Michael Tubbs would get my vote for City Council.

As a citizen of Stockton, I am concerned about city debt and especially crime. Tubbs believes that if you want to see change, you have to get your hands dirty. It is important to hold people accountable. City debt has put a damper on jobs, the police force and all our communities. The crime in Stockton is phenomenal and only getting worse.

Tubbs addressed the crime and debt issues by saying we need to reinvent Stockton by taking small steps. Everyone needs to be involved in taking back Stockton. We need to hire more police. We need to create more jobs. We need to bring businesses to Stockton. And we need to educate everyone so citizens feel safe and proud to live here.

We need new leadership in Stockton, and I believe Michael Tubbs can make a difference.

Brandon Jones

Stockton

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In response to the recent letter implying that Michael Tubbs is unqualified to serve on our City Council, Michael has shown extraordinary initiative, without being in a position of political power.

He's gone further than simply making plans to improve Stockton; he has already put these plans into effect. Michael has done extensive work to improve our city by connecting fellow community members and drawing on existing local resources.

Among other accomplishments, he co-created Save Our Stockton, which engaged the mayor in establishing a task force on youth and crime. Michael brought the Weston Ranch community together to address rising crime rates. As founder of the Summer Success and Leadership Academy and Phoenix Scholars, Michael is inspiring and empowering our youth to attain a higher education.

It's been refreshing to watch Michael campaign. He's hosted town halls in each district where he addressed crime, our city's financial situation and our youth's future.

He's invited the public to attend over a dozen meet and greets and can always be found at community events and gatherings.

He's demonstrated an ability to bring citizens together to share ideas and find solutions. Our city needs more effective leaders like him.

Simply put, Michael is more than qualified to serve on our City Council. If we are going to break our city's cycle of high crime and low education performance we need to look within the communities most affected by these issues and work with their leaders to find solutions - tasks Michael has already begun working on.

Max Heinemann, Mathilde Heinemann

Stockton

There's an election coming up that may be overlooked, for lack of knowledge about the contestants in District 5 of the Delta College board of trustees.

We voted before to spend $2 million a year to get a Delta College. Where's the campus? Where's anything? Our area kids still find it hard to get admitted.

We have a local man, a philanthropist, who is willing to donate enough land near Valley Springs, and $2.5 million in resources for a college center in Calaveras County. I hear another person is willing to donate some school buildings. Just think of the jobs this would provide, temporary and permanent.

There seems to be a glitch: our present person in that position seems not to want this to transpire. Why?

Let's try another local guy who has a proven track record with helping out kids in our area. He bought $6,000 for new band instruments. They now have an outstanding award-willing band.

He did the same thing for our hospital concerning outdated equipment; we now have the finest X-ray monitors available. He also has an award winning consulting company that has designed safety standards for schools and college campuses around the country.

This describes the energy and talent that we have available, in our own neighborhood. Let's give Dave Tanner a chance in this election.

Al Duncan

Valley Springs

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I was disappointed The Record did not endorse Elizabeth (Liz) Blanchard for the Delta College board.

Liz has excellent qualifications; her education, her outstanding record of teaching at Delta, and being an administrator at Pacific. Then there is her commitment to donating and getting others to donate money for scholarships at Delta.

In August, Liz's hard work on behalf of students was recognized at the annual scholarship awards ceremony in the Atherton Auditorium. If this election is really about putting students first, Liz has been doing this for many years already and now wants to continue to do it in a different way, by serving on the board of trustees.

Liz's strong record of community involvement should not count against her. She is on the Port of Stockton and serves as the chairwoman, the third woman and first Asian-American to do so. This gives her an understanding of the Valley economy and a perspective on employment needs that can only benefit Delta College. She is also active in or is a donor in many other diverse groups in the Stockton community, especially those which support veterans.

To say "enough is enough" about Liz's community involvement is both dismissive and short sighted on the part of The Record's editorial board. I consider Liz Blanchard the best candidate for the college board for Area 2!!

Gracie Madrid

Stockton

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I was sorry to see that The Record chose to endorse Claudia Moreno, a candidate who is president of the California School Employees Association for Stockton Unified. The classified workers at Delta College are also represented by CSEA, although a separate union local. Taxpayers have to wonder, however, how objective a trustee can be about decisions that would cause her to choose between fiscal responsibility to the college and solidarity with members of her union.

The Delta College faculty is belongs to the California Teachers Association union. The Delta CTA made the decision to endorse Liz's opponent who is a classified employee before the filing deadline on Aug. 10.

When Blanchard, a former CTA member and a past CTA president, inquired about endorsement, she was told they had already chosen a candidate, even before knowing who else might be running.

Again, taxpayers have to wonder why the Delta CTA chose a CSEA union president from Stockton Unified to support in this trustee election rather than a former member of their own union. What does the Delta CTA expect in return for this endorsement?

Michael Villanueva

Stockton

I'd like to make this appeal to those who claim to be a Christian of any persuasion. Before you vote for president or any candidate in November ask yourself if you put politics ahead of your moral convictions, especially concerning the sanctity of life.

It's time to stop playing word games, as science shows that abortion is the killing of a developing human being in the womb, not the killing of a choice.

The effects of 40 reckless years of abortions must bring tears to our Creator. How many skilled and unskilled laborers, professionals or non-professionals, public servants, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents and so forth have we lost?

Everyone reading this letter was once 5 weeks old in the womb, 12 weeks, 20 weeks and eventually born. So when you cast your vote, ask yourself if you're willing to stand in line behind the candidate of your choice the day we meet our maker in heaven.

Ron Houck

Lodi

Politicians apparently employ full-time staff in their ongoing effort to confuse the voters. Several recent instances come to mind.

First, President Obama, in trying to distance himself from his election-day platform, now reports his thinking has "evolved" on same-sex "marriage." Surely there are voters who find this plausible, but, I believe most of us are offended by the administration's constant use of linguistic tactics in the reversing of positions and other attempts to deceive the public.

Vice President Joe Biden, during the debate with candidate Paul Ryan, offered us an equally deceptive, if not totally absurd, defense of his abortion position. He stated, "I'm personally against abortion, but, I don't want to impose my beliefs on others."

This comment is a popular one when a candidate is pro-abortion and wants to appear pro-life.

Biden and others who think like him forget that the primary reason they were elected was because voters believed in what they stood for; their promises. How many of those cowards would be elected if voters knew beforehand that they would reverse themselves because they "didn't want to impose their beliefs on others." None!

Secondly, these duplicitous hypocrites certainly know that by failing to defend their (alleged) pro-life beliefs, by default they impose pro-abortion policy on the entire country.

Politicians who lack the courage to defend their own fundamental moral principles do not deserve to hold public office.

John B. Hymes

Stockton

If experience is the key, as indicated in the headline of the Oct. 15 letter, then The Record's endorsement of Rhodesia Ransom for county supervisor is absolutely correct.

I agree with you that Rhodesia Ransom is certainly well qualified for the position, and has demonstrated a commitment to her community over a long period. I also agree the board of supervisors could use some diversity - any diversity - but I think that you should have kept that piece of commentary to yourselves.

My concern was that some of your readers would take your comments as an excuse to play the race game and minimize the endorsement of Ransom. That is exactly what happened with your reader who wrote the Oct. 15 letter. She took an opportunity to subtly spew her hatred under the guise of suspected reverse racism on your part while at the same time trying to rally support for Ransom's opponent, Bob Elliott.

I call upon Elliott to publicly condemn these opinions used to directly support his campaign. That's what a true leader would do.

Marlene Jones

Tracy

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I differ with the Oct. 15 letter claiming The Record was wrong for endorsing candidate Rhodesia Ransom for San Joaquin county supervisor from District 5.

Several months before the primary I attended a meeting where the candidates were asked the same questions.

Ransom was able to give educated answers of all the questions asked of her. On the other hand her opponent, Bob Elliott, was not in the same league as Ransom and could only tell our group that he did not know the answers but he would try to find out.

I understand Elliott spent 30 years in the military, and I truly thank him for his service, but I hope you don't want someone to run our local government like the military is run.

The Oct. 15 letter writer said Ransom is being bought by local unions. Actually she is backed by unions, law enforcement associations and individual contributors.

I don't always agree with Record editorials but I fully agree with them this time. I will be sure to vote for Rhodesia Ransom for District 5 Supervisor.

Amie Richards

Manteca

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